This day in history - Dec. 14

Friday

Dec 14, 2012 at 6:00 AMDec 14, 2012 at 9:56 AM

Actress Patty Duke turns 66 today.

Today is Friday, Dec. 14, the 349th day of 2012. There are 17 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Dec. 14, 1962, the U.S. space probe Mariner 2 passed Venus at a distance of just over 21,000 miles, transmitting information about the planet, such as its hot surface temperatures and predominantly carbon dioxide atmosphere.

On this date:

•In 1799, the first president of the United States, George Washington, died at his Mount Vernon, Va., home at age 67.

•In 1819, Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state.

•In 1861, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, died at Windsor Castle at age 42.

•In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first men to reach the South Pole, beating out a British expedition led by Robert F. Scott.

•In 1936, the comedy “You Can’t Take It With You” by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart opened on Broadway.

•In 1961, a school bus was hit by a passenger train at a crossing near Greeley, Colo., killing 20 students.

•In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, which it had seized from Syria in 1967.

•In 1986, the experimental aircraft Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California on the first nonstop, non-refueled flight around the world.

Ten years ago: The Associated Press reported that FBI Director Robert Mueller said in an interview that nearly 100 terrorist attacks had been thwarted since 9-11.

Five years ago: A man accused of being the Phoenix Baseline Killer was sentenced to 438 years in prison for the sexual assaults of two sisters. Mark Goudeau was tried in 2011 for the slayings of eight women and a man in 2005-2006; he was convicted and sentenced to death.

One year ago: President Barack Obama, visiting Fort Bragg in North Carolina, saluted troops returning from Iraq, asserting that the nearly nine-year conflict was ending honorably.